| Flag Size: | 120x80px |
| Seal Size: | 100x80px |
| Pushpin Map: | Philippines |
| Pushpin Label Position: | left |
| Settlement Type: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | Philippines |
| Subdivision Type1: | Region |
| Subdivision Name1: | Bangsamoro |
| Subdivision Type2: | Province |
| Subdivision Name2: | Cotabato |
| Official Name: | Municipality of Kapalawan |
| Subdivision Type3: | District |
| Established Title: | Founded |
| Established Date: | April 13, 2024 |
| Parts Type: | Barangays |
| Parts Style: | p |
| Leader Name: | Norman Cadi Inalang (OIC) |
| Leader Title1: | Vice Mayor |
| Leader Name1: | Toto Dading Laguialaot (OIC) |
| Area Total Km2: | 180.62 |
| Population Total: | 28,463 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Timezone: | PST |
| Utc Offset: | +8 |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Assets |
| Demographics1 Title6: | Assets rank |
| Demographics1 Title7: | IRA |
| Demographics1 Title8: | IRA rank |
| Demographics1 Title9: | Expenditure |
| Demographics1 Title10: | Liabilities |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Water |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Telecommunications |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Cable TV |
| Blank1 Name Sec1: | Native languages |
| Blank2 Name Sec1: | Crime index |
Kapalawan, officially the Municipality of Kapalawan (Maguindanaon: Inged nu Kapalawan, Jawi: ; Hiligaynon: Banwa sang Kapalawan; Cebuano: Lungsod sa Kapalawan; Tagalog: Bayan ng Kapalawan), is a municipality in the province of Cotabato, Philippines. The municipality is part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao despite Cotabato being part of Soccsksargen.
When the Bangsamoro was created in 2019 to supplant the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, 63 barangays in the province of Cotabato were grouped with the newer autonomous region in the second part of the plebiscite held in February 6.[1] The mother municipalities and Cotabato province remained part of Soccsksargen.[2]
By March 2020, these barangays were designated as a Special Geographic Area (SGA) of the Bangsamoro region.[3]
On August 17, 2023, the bills consolidating the SGA barangays into eight municipalities were approved by the Bangsamoro Parliament,[4] The particular bill creating Kapalawan was Bangsamoro Autonomy Act No. 133.[5]
A plebiscite was held on April 13, 2024, and voters approved all eight bills reconstituting the SGA barangays to eight municipalities including Kapalawan, where 10,495 voted in favor of its creation while two voted against. The Bangsamoro regional government will provide P2.5 million in funding for the municipal government until it gets its share of income from the National Tax Allotment.[6] Kapalawan was created from seven barangays of Carmen.[5]
Kapalawan is politically subdivided into seven barangays. Each barangay consists of puroks while some have sitios.
Officers-in-charge (OIC) was selected by BARMM Chief Minister Murad Ebrahim to fill positions in the municipal government pending regular elections in 2025. The municipality remains under the jurisdiction of the Special Geographic Area pending the creation of a new province.[7] [8]
Norman Cadi Inalang is the OIC mayor of Kapalawan since July 9, 2024,[9]